Detachable Shopping Cart Handle Device

ABSTRACT

A detachable shopping handle device includes a handgrip, an arm and a clamp for gripping shopping cart handles. The clamp may be sized and configured to snap onto the handle or the clamp may open to fit over the handle and close to grip it. The device arm may telescope or fold. The device may include two spaced-apart clamps. The clamp may be detachable from the arm. The arm may include a hook for carrying a shopping bag. The device may include a rechargeable battery and a connection for charging a phone. A carrying case may be used to hold the device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a detachable shopping cart handle device.

Discussion of Related Art

Currently, shopping is an activity that exposes a shopper to bacteria and viruses in a number of ways. One way is by touching a shopping cart handle or the handles of a shopping basket after a sick person has touched them. While grocery store workers may sanitize carts before new customers use them, germs may be missed.

A need remains in the art for a detachable shopping handle device which may be attached to the handle of the shopping cart by the shopper, so the shopper does not need to touch the shopping cart handle at all.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides detachable shopping handle devices. Such devices include handgrips, arms and clamps for gripping shopping cart handles. The clamp may be sized and configured to snap onto the handle or a trigger mechanism may be used to open and close the clamp. The device arm may telescope or fold. The device may include two spaced-apart clamps. The clamp may be detachable from the arm. The arm may include a hook for carrying a shopping bag. The arm may include a battery and a connection for charging a phone. A carrying case may be used to hold the device.

A detachable shopping handle device includes a handgrip configured to allow a user to grip the device, a clamp configured to detachably clamp onto a shopping handle of a shopping receptacle, and an arm disposed between the handgrip and the clamp and attached to the handgrip and the clamp. The shopping handle device clamp is configured to attach to the shopping handle firmly enough to allow the user to guide the shopping receptacle.

When the shopping receptacle is a wheeled shopping cart, the device clamp attaches to the shopping cart handle firmly enough to allow the user to impel the shopping cart to roll and to steer the shopping cart. When the shopping receptacle is a shopping basket, the device clamp attaches to the basket handle(s) handle firmly enough to allow the user to lift and carry the shopping basket when the shopping basket contains a significant amount of groceries, for example up to 20 pounds.

The clamp may snap firmly onto the shopping handle, or it may open and close to go over the handle and then clamp down onto it. If the clamp opens and closes, it is useful to have a triggered locking mechanism that keeps the clamp from opening while in use.

It is also useful to have the clamp be biased to close (by a spring or the like) so that the user uses pressure to open the clamp, but it closes on its own. The pressure may be applied to the appendages of the clamp itself, or a mechanism may be provided on the handgrip or the arm to open/close the clamp appendages. Grabber tools and trash pickers use a number of different mechanisms to open their grabbing ends, including pushing a button or squeezing a trigger grip, which may be adapted to this shopping handle device.

Shopping handle devices may include other features such as additional handgrips or clamps. The device arm may telescope longer and shorter or may fold for storage. Again, locking mechanisms to keep the device telescoped length fixed, or to keep the device folded or unfolded are useful. The arm may be detachable from the clamp. The handgrip may include a rechargeable battery and a connector element to permit the battery to be recharged and to charge a device from the battery. The arm may include a hook for grocery bags and the like, which may fold out of the way when not in use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric drawing of a first embodiment of a detachable shopping handle device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is side view drawing of the detachable shopping handle of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an isometric drawing of a second embodiment of a detachable shopping handle device according to the present invention, with dual handles.

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 attached to the handle of a shopping cart.

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the embodiment of FIG. 3 attached to the handle of a shopping basket.

FIG. 6 is an isometric drawing of a third embodiment of detachable shopping handle device according to the present invention, having an extendable arm and a trigger clamp.

FIG. 7 is an isometric drawing of the embodiment of FIG. 6 with the extendable arm extended.

FIG. 8 is an isometric drawing of a fourth embodiment of detachable shopping handle device according to the present invention, having a shopping bag hook.

FIG. 9 is an isometric drawing of a fifth embodiment of detachable shopping handle device according to the present invention, having a foldable handle.

FIG. 10 is an isometric drawing of the embodiment of FIG. 9 disposed in a storage unit.

FIG. 11 is an isometric drawing of a fifth embodiment of detachable shopping handle device according to the present invention, having a detachable handle.

FIG. 12A is a side cutaway drawing of a handle showing a battery and connector.

FIG. 12B is a top view of the connector of FIG. 12B.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

TABLE 1 Reference Number Element 100, 300, 600, 800, 900 Detachable shopping handle device 102, 302, 602, 902, 1102 Handgrip 104, 304, 604, 904 Arm 106, 306, 606, 806, 906, 1106 Clamp 112, 312, 612 Gripping appendages 400 Cart 402 Cart handle 500 Shopping basket 502 Shopping basket handle(s) 608, 808 Clamp hinge 614 Trigger mechanism 800 Device with hook 814 Opening and closing mechanism 818 Hook 830 Grocery bag 900 Foldable device 920 Pivot joint 1000 Storage unit 1150 Handle attachment point 1152 Clamp attachment point 1202 Battery 1204 Connector element 1206 Battery recharging connection 1208 Device charging connection

Table 1 shows elements of the present invention and their associated reference numbers.

FIG. 1 is an isometric drawing of detachable shopping handle device 100. FIG. 2 is side view drawing of device 100. Device 100 comprises a handgrip 102, an arm 104, and a clamp 106 configured to snap onto the handle 402 of a shopping cart 400 or handles 502 of a shopping basket 500 (see FIGS. 4 and 5). Clamp 106 has gripping appendages 112 which are, for example, sized and configured to snap onto a standard shopping cart handle 402 as shown in FIG. 4. Two devices 100 may be used, disposed apart on handle 402.

FIG. 3 is an isometric drawing of detachable shopping handle device 300. Handle 300 is similar to handle 100, except that it includes dual handgrips 302. This embodiment has the advantage of being easier steer shopping cart 400 with. Again, gripping appendages 312 of clamp 306 are sized and configured to snap onto a shopping cart 400 handle 402 or shopping basket 500 handles 502. Arms 304 are shorter than arm 104 in this embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of detachable shopping handle device 100 attached to the handle 402 of a shopping cart 400. FIG. 5 is an isometric view of detachable shopping handle device 300 attached to the handles 502 of a shopping basket 500. Various other types of clamps could be used in the place of clamps 206, 306. Some examples are shown in the following figures.

FIG. 6 is an isometric drawing of detachable shopping device 600. Device 600 includes an extendable arm 604 and a trigger 614 for clamp 606. FIG. 7 is an isometric drawing of device 600 with extendable arm 604 extended. Trigger 614 may unlock arm 604 to allow it to telescope to a desired length, or conversely may lock it in place at a desired length.

Trigger 614 may cause clamp 606 to open via hinge 608 based on force applied by the user. Then releasing trigger 614 would allow it to be biased closed (via springs, e.g.), causing gripping appendages 612 to grip a shopping cart handle 402 or shopping basket handles 306. Or, the appendages may be pulled open by the user and biased closed. These embodiments have two advantages. First, since arm 604 is extendable, device 600 is more easily used by people of varying heights and reach. Second, since clamp 606 biases appendages 612 closed, gripping appendages 612 can grip varying sizes of handles 402, 502. As an alternative, the clamp may snap on as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 8 is an isometric drawing of detachable shopping handle device 800, having a shopping bag hook 818 for a shopping bag 830. This embodiment includes a mechanism 814 for opening and closing clamp 806 via hinge 808. The clamp may be biased to a closed position, and the appendages opened based on force applied by the user.

FIG. 9 is an isometric drawing detachable shopping handle device 900, having a foldable handle 904. Clamp 906 may be a snap fit as shown in FIGS. 1-5, or may be triggered to open as shown in FIG. 6-8. FIG. 10 is an isometric drawing of device 900 disposed in a storage unit 10.

FIG. 11 shows an embodiment with a handle 1102 having a handle attachment point 1150 for attaching to a clamp 1106A, B, C. Three examples of clamp are shown, 1106A, 1106B, and 1106C. Each includes a clamp attachment point 1152A, B, C configured to attach to handle attachment point 1150.

FIG. 12A is a side cutaway drawing of a handle (for example handle 1102 shown in FIG. 11) showing a battery 1202 and a connector element 1204. FIG. 12B is a top view of the connector element 1204. Battery recharging connection 1206 recharges battery 1202. An example would be a USB type A connector. Device charging connector 1208 is used to charge a phone or other device. An example would be a lightning connector or a USB type C connector. Other connectors may be used instead of—or in addition to—connectors 1206, 1208.

While the exemplary preferred embodiments of the present invention are described herein with particularity, those skilled in the art will appreciate various changes, additions, and applications other than those specifically mentioned, which are within the spirit of this invention. For example, the clamp mechanism may comprise a variety of clamp types including screw clamps, strap clamps, pivoted clamps, quick action clamps, power clamps, nonconventional clamps, trigger clamps, and the like.

The features of the embodiments shown may be mixed and matched such that, for example, device 100 has an extending arm 604, a trigger mechanism 614, a foldable arm 904, or an attachment mechanism 1150, 1152. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A detachable shopping handle device comprising: a handgrip configured to allow a user to grip the device; a clamp configured to detachably clamp onto a shopping handle of a shopping receptacle; and an arm disposed between the handgrip and the clamp and attached to the handgrip and the clamp; wherein the shopping handle device clamp is configured to attach to the shopping handle firmly enough to allow the user to guide the shopping receptacle.
 2. The detachable shopping handle device of claim 1 wherein the shopping receptacle comprises a wheeled shopping cart having a shopping cart handle and the device clamp is configured to attach to the shopping cart handle firmly enough to allow the user to impel the shopping cart to roll and to steer the shopping cart.
 3. The detachable shopping handle device of claim 1 wherein the shopping receptacle comprises shopping basket having a shopping basket handle and the device clamp is configured to attach to the shopping basket handle firmly enough to allow the user to lift and carry the shopping basket when the shopping basket contains groceries.
 4. The detachable shopping handle device of claim 3 wherein the shopping basket has two shopping basket handles and the device clamp is configured to attach to both shopping basket handles.
 5. The detachable shopping handle device of claim 3 wherein the clamp is sufficient to allow the user to carry the shopping basket when it contains 20 pounds of groceries.
 6. The detachable shopping handle device of claim 1 wherein the clamp includes gripping appendages sized and configured to snap onto the shopping handle.
 7. The detachable shopping handle device of claim 1 wherein the clamp further comprises gripping appendages configured to selectively open and close and wherein the gripping appendages are sized to fit over the shopping handle when open and to clamp onto the shopping handle when closed.
 8. The detachable shopping handle device of claim 7 further comprising a gripping-appendages locking mechanism configured to prevent the gripping appendages from opening when activated.
 9. The detachable shopping handle device of claim 7 wherein further comprising: a biasing mechanism configured to close the gripping appendages; and an opening mechanism configured to overcome the biasing mechanism and open the gripping appendages based upon force applied by the user.
 10. The detachable shopping handle device of claim 9 further comprising a gripping-appendages locking mechanism configured to prevent the gripping appendages from opening when activated.
 11. The detachable shopping handle device of claim 1 further comprising a second handgrip attached to the arm.
 12. The detachable shopping handle device of claim 1 wherein the arm is configured to telescope to become longer and shorter.
 13. The detachable shopping handle device of claim 12 wherein the device further includes a telescope trigger mechanism and wherein the arm is configured to telescope only when the telescope trigger mechanism is activated.
 14. The detachable shopping handle device of claim 1 wherein the arm is configured to fold and unfold.
 15. The detachable shopping handle device of claim 14 wherein the device further includes a folding trigger mechanism and wherein the arm is configured to fold and unfold only when the folding trigger mechanism is activated.
 16. The detachable shopping handle device of claim 1 wherein the arm comprises a detachable attachment between the handgrip and the clamp.
 17. The detachable shopping handle device of claim 1 wherein the handgrip further comprises a rechargeable battery and a connector element, the connector element configured to permit the battery to be recharged and to charge a device from the battery.
 18. The detachable shopping handle device of claim 1 further comprising a second clamp configured to clamp onto the shopping handle of the shopping receptacle.
 19. The detachable shopping handle device of claim 1 further comprising a hook attached to the arm. 